Ground testable spacecraft heat pipe
US12359876B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 1, 2023 |
| Grant date | Jul 15, 2025 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 5, 2043 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF28F2200/005
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A ground testable spacecraft heat pipe has a spacecraft heat pipe thermally connected for conduction of heat through a heat acquisition cold plate to a heat acquisition riser of a bubble pump heat pipe, enabling a plug-slug flow of heated fluid into a separator, with heated liquid flowing downward through a hear rejection downcomer to a heat rejection pipe section mounted on a heat rejection cold plate for conduction of heat to a bottom end of the spacecraft heat pipe, the now-cooled liquid flowing through a heat rejection riser to an outlet in a condenser that receives the heated vapor from the separator through a vapor condensation conduit, the condenser holding the cooled fluid and vapor condensate that exits the condenser through a heat acquisition downcomer to restart the cycle.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.